Quick Tip: Lower Diabetes Risk With Breakfast

Men who skip breakfast have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Your mother was right. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Men who leave the house in the morning without eating have a 21 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, followed almost 30,000 men in the U.S. for 16 years. In addition to the higher risk with skipping breakfast, men who ate only one or two meals a day had a 25 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes than those who followed the three-square-meals-a-day rule. These effects were true even when researchers took into account the quality of the meals and the men’s body mass index. The researchers also found that men who snacked on top of eating three meals a day also showed an increased risk of diabetes. This effect, however, was lessened when they took into account BMI. Extra snacks throughout the day can affect health, but in this case diabetes was more dependent on whether men were overweight or obese. In the U.S., 25.8 million people have diabetes, with 90 to 95 percent of those having type 2 diabetes. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes includes being older, obese, physically inactive, or having a family history of the condition. This disease, however, can be prevented by eating balanced meals, staying active and maintaining a healthy weight. Other studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are also less likely to be obese or have heart disease. Get some healthy breakfast options for every scenario, and never leave hungry again.